City retains roofer to fix potential roof repairs at aging City Hall building

by Mike Lesko | reporterPublished: January 22, 2014 12:00AM

Streetsboro -- The city is spending a little more than $9,000 this year on a roofer, who will be kept on retainer throughout the year to address leaks and other potential problems at City Hall, which was built about 60 years ago.

City Council unanimously approved a contract Dec. 23 with Prime Roof Solutions to provide roof maintenance to City Hall and the fire department, which are in the same structure. The contract will take effect at the end of January, although it is actually a contract renewal, according to Bruce Terrell, the city's engineering director.

The annual cost to the city is $9,185, Terrell said.

Terrell said the company provides "as needed roof maintenance to both wings at City Hall and the fire department."

City Hall previously was an old school building that was opened in the early 1950s, he said, while the fire department was added in the early 1990s.

"Both areas have the original roof system," Terrell said. "Prime Roof Solutions has been supplying as needed repairs for a number of years."

There is no major repair work scheduled at this time, Terrell said.

In 2010, the city spent about $60,000 for a repair and rejuvenation of the roof on the west wing of the building, he said.

Terrell said Prime Roof Solutions performs an inspection of the roof at City Hall twice a year and makes repairs as necessary.

"In addition, we call them several times during the year as areas of the roof fail, allowing water to leak into the building," he said. "The fire department has the same issues."

Terrell said freeze and thaw cycles, which include extreme heat in the summer and cold in the winter, cause the roof over the east wing of the building to split.

"This leads to the leaks we experience during rain, snow and ice freeze and thaw cycles," he said. "The east wing of City Hall is to the point that Prime Roof has suggested that the same type of system that was installed on the west wing be used on the east."

The upgrade would cost about $75,000.

There are no current plans to upgrade the roof due to the cost, city officials said

The east wing houses the senior center, the parks and recreation department and rooms used for classes and activities by residents.

He said the fire department is not at that point yet, but since it is more than 20 years old, repairs are becoming more frequent.

"While we're in this building, we wait for the next leak and call Prime Roof Solutions to fix the problem," Terrell said. "Short of spending $75,000, it's all we can do as long as we are in this building."